Genoa Restaurant Closing May 11th

Michael Garofola at Genoa Restaurant has announced that they are closing on May 11th for “an extended haitus”.

This decision was not an easy one–it never is with a beloved institution like Genoa–but the time is right for a new direction. We are truly proud of the Genoa tradition, and everything the restaurant has meant to the community. Most of all, we are incredibly grateful for the love and loyalty of our guests, and the passion and dedication of our talented staff.

While on hiatus, we will be evaluating different paths forward for the restaurant, and look forward to sharing further news in the coming weeks. We are not sure yet what the future holds, but the opportunity to reinvent and reimagine what comes next is an exciting one. Whether it is a reinvention of the Genoa concept or an entirely new direction, we are committed to creating something excellent and unique, a worthy successor to everything Genoa has represented.

In the meantime, we would like to invite everyone to come in between now and May 11, and allow us to entertain you as only Genoa can. We will continue accepting reservations through May 11, and our staff looks forward to saying goodbye with the warmth, finesse and style that have always defined Genoa.

Accanto, of course, will remain just as it is, a vibrant neighborhood café, serving fresh and seasonal Italian food, wine and cocktails; open for dinner 7 days a week, with lunch and brunch served Wednesday through Sunday. Our commitment to Accanto, our guests and our staff has never been stronger.

Gift certificates will naturally be honored at Genoa until May 11: after that date, they will be fully honored at Accanto.

Genoa was once a Portland institution, garnering raves as the ultimate local destination for a long, romantic six-course meal. It lost the spotlight over the years as the restaurant began to be seen as a staid, old-fashioned relic of a time gone by. In November 2008 it closed, changed owners, completely remodeled, and reopened exactly a year later, scoring second only to Paley’s in our readers’ survey for “most romantic restaurant in Portland”. Unfortunately the Genoa never seemed to regain its footing, receiving mixed reviews over the years under a seemingly constant parade of changing chefs and higher prices than is the norm for Portland, currently at $70 for a 5-course dinner – it just wasn’t that good. [My mistake on the changing chefs – I was thinking about Mondok, not about Genoa]

Perhaps the days of lavish, multi-course prix fixe meals are gone, at least in Portland, but I will always remember my early Portland meals at the restaurant.

Primary Sidebar

We offer 30 rotating draft beers and 120 bottle beers every day, as well as a full bar and large liquor selection. Two-dollar Tuesdays are an ideal time to sample the options. A few picnic tables out front, separated from the street by a hedge. Kids are welcome in the dining room until 9 pm. Open … Read More...